Contents

Introduction

Capital and most populated world in the Republic of Manhattan, this colony world located in the New York-system, Verrazano Sector, and was one of the few that actually prospered following the fall of the old Earth Federation. From the capital city of New Harlem, the planet is the leading center of education, economics and military for the other 200 worlds of the Republic.

Planetary Geography and Climate

Manhattan is a moon of the gas giant Hudson and as such can experience some rapid changes in temparture. During the Light Months, 6-months out of the planets 15-month year, Manhattan maintains an orbit that keeps it in relative sunlight, classified as summer based on the seasonal transitions. During the 'Night Months' Manhattan is obscure by Hudson and experiences a night 3-months long. While the planet is in its 3-month transition in/out of the Light Months or Night Months, the time is called the Spring Twilight or the Fall Twilight, where the mass of Hudson slowly begins to expose or obscure the light of New York.

Hudson is approximately 1.2 AUs from New York and as such the ambient light that reaches Manhattan is slightly below Earth normal. However due to the interaction of Manhattan's magnetic field and Hudson's creates sub-surface geological activity, leaving the planet core temparture much hotter. As such volcanic, geothermal vents and earthquakes are more common.

Manhattan is covered by nearly 68% water, slightly less than old Earth. The water of Manhattan is notable as having a very high salt content, enough so that bathing or swimming in its oceans never became popular since it would induce sickness in most Humans.

As a younger and more geologically active world, the geography of Manhattan is more treacherous than most but for the same reason its soil is much more fertile for the growth of plant life.

Biology

At the time of settlement, Manhattan had just entered it's version of the Devonian Era, extensive but primtive forests had colonized the land with simple anthropods moving ashore, with large bony-fish reaching abundance in the oceans.

Introduction of land-based flora and anaimals largely displaced native breeds, though several forms of grass and fungi remain numerous. Few ocean-based species introduced over the years have survived, largely due to the high salt content of the oceans.

The CH8271 solar system was surveyed in 2432 by the Earth Federation science ship EFS Philibert Tsiranana, who reported the habitability of three moons of the fifth jovian world, CH8271 V. The application for colonization was put up for bidding by Hong Kong-based firm Aberdeen Auction House on Earth in 2435 and won by the New Schenectady Corproration. However due to the bankruptcy of the company three months later as a result of the franchise lose of six of its colonial holdings, the company CEO Phillip Allenson III decided to leave when Warren Holding LLC bought the entity out. In lue of severance and a position on Warren Holding board of trustees, Allenson was allowed to personally retain the colonization application for CH8721.

It would not be until 2585 that Allenson's descendant, Phillip Allenson V and his wife, colonial planner Anika Wallenberg, were able to buy a modest colony ship and compile a first colonization wave. The EFS Richard Nicholls arrived on 8 September 2588 with 800 colonists and christened the system New York. Following this they settled the largest moon of CH8271 V (now designated Hudson), they named their new world Manhattan and their base of operations New Harlem, along with the CH8 Sector which was renamed to the Verrazano Sector.

The Allenson-Wallenberg family controlled the Manhattan colony, acting as ceremonial administrators, and quickly set it up as a farming world, supplying the neighboring colony worlds with basic grains and cereal. By 2598, a decade after its foundation, the population had risen to 15,766 and was the primary food supplier for 17 other colonies.

Fall of the Federation

Trajedy however struck in 2601 with the Fall of the Earth Federation and the Sol Gamma Wave. The nova of Sol, the destruction of Earth and the resultant gamma-ray burst rendering most of the core colony worlds uninhabitable. Billions of people were killed and millions more attempted to flee to the frontier worlds, few which had the resources to support them. The galactic location of the New York-system, on the far side of the Cresent Nebula, meant that few refugee ships dared cross the fast stellar winds without incurring crippling damage to their civilian grade hyperdrive intake manifolds.

Foundation of the Republic

Captain Yamato, already hearing reports of rogue Federation military units turning pirate to survive the fall of the core worlds, the bloody coupes and mass killings on Potsdam, Saxony and Tartarus, Yamato decided to reform a new government on Manhattan, establishing in partnership with colonial administrator Phoebe Allenson-Wallenberg, the new Republic of Manhattan on 15 August 2603.

Armed Forces

Manhattan Republic Navy:

Society and Culture

Manhattan dress tends to lean towards tight fitting clothes colored with warm, solid color tones. Patterns or mixing of colors was not popular and seen as visually offensive to many Manhattan wears. Gender neutral clothing was also popular, with long trousers worn by men and women and shirts with sleves that could be rolled up in warm weather. As swimming was unpopular on the planet and most natives tended to stay in doors during the height of the Light Months, shorts, blouses and any clothing that showed the knees, shoulders or clevage were seen as unseemly.

Manhattan natives tended to speak with emphasis on the vowels of a word, drawing out in particular on the i and o.

Due to being more geologically active, most cities on Manhattan are built with reinforced and wide foundations. As such, most buildings on the planet tend to cone shaped tapering off with a towering top. At the same time, canals around city outskirts are common, meant as multi-purpose channels for the moments of sudden floods, mudslides or lava while public transportation systems are more extensive than personal transit systems, in order to facilate the evacation of civilians in case of emergency.

Galactic Location

The New York-system is located on the distant side of the Crescent Nebula, 5000-light years from the Sol-system. Due to the fast-stellar winds that rush out from the nebula meant that any ship re-entering normal space would suffer damage unless properly armouring. Until 2789 that made crossing the nebula extremely dangerous and only undertaken by vessels with military-grade armour.

The system is 27.2-light years from the Johor-system and the colony of Singapore.